7. -Letter of H. C. Warmoth, late lieutenant-colonel and aide-de-camp.

SAINT NICHOLAS HOTEL, Springfield, ILL., August 24, 1863.

GENERAL: In answer to your inquiry of this date, I have to say that I was detached from my regiment by order of Major-General Grant, with orders to report to you for duty upon your staff. I was with you in the siege of Vicksburg up to the evening of May 22, when I was wounded and caught by you in your arms as I fell. On May 22 I was repeatedly sent by you to different parts of the field, and had good opportunities of knowing what was done by your corps [Thirteenth] on that occasion.

At 10 o'clock your columns of attack moved forward to the assault. In less than one hour, Joseph E. Griffith, a sergeant of the Twenty-SECOND Iowa, with a part of the storming party, entered one of the works of the enemy, drove the enemy out, and held the place for some hours. He captured 13 men with a lieutenant in this work, and reported them to you about 2 o'clock. Lieutenant-Colonel Graham, of the Twenty-SECOND Iowa, with a small detachment, entered another fort and drove the enemy out, maintaining himself there until after nightfall, when the enemy massed their forces upon us and drove us back from our line, which was up to the works of the enemy, capturing Lieutenant-Colonel Graham and his men. The American flag floated from on top of two of the enemy's works, and our men kept them there until after nightfall, as I am informed. They were there when I was wounded, which was after 5 o'clock. All this time many of our men were in the ditches of the enemy, and sent back for spades and shovels with which to dig down the enemy's works.

About 5. 30 o'clock a part, if not the whole, of Quinby's DIVISION arrived. McArthur did not arrive until next day [May 23]. I believed then if the two DIVISIONS had arrived in reasonable time that we would have been able to have pushed through the lines of the enemy. It was so believed by every officer I saw.

Your position during the assault was to the left and a little to the rear of our battery of 30-pounder Parrotts, which was about 600 yards from the enemy's works. We could plainly see the line of works in our front and to the extreme left of our corps, but a part of the right was obstructed by the foliage of a grove of trees. This was the best point for observation along our entire line, and from the top of the battery, where you often went for observation, you could see perfectly everything in our front from right to left.

In my opinion, it was about 1 1/2 miles from the elevated point in General McPherson's line from which he and General Grant made observations. The position occupied by them was perhaps higher ground, but I do not believe they could observe our movements with the accuracy we could from the position occupied by you.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

H. C. WARMOTH,

Late Lieutenant-Colonel and Aide-de-Camp.

8. -Letter of F. H. Mason, late captain and aide-de-camp.

SPRINGFIELD, ILL., August 24, 1863.

Major General John A. McClernand:

SIR: Your note of this morning is received, and in reply I beg leave to submit the following report:

1. I was acting throughout the attack on Vicksburg in the capacity of aide-de-camp on your staff, and being sent at various times to your DIVISION and brigade commanders with orders, inquiries, &c., and being all the remainder of the time, when non thus occupied in your immediate presence, taking notes of the various incidents and hearing the various messages and reports brought by staff and general officers to you, I enjoyed as good advantages for hearing and seeing the assault and the part you took as could be possible for any one in my capacity.

2. At about 10. 10 a. m. on the 22nd, I saw the advance of General Lawler's brigade, of Carr's DIVISION, rush up the slope leading to the large work of the enemy immediately to the left of the railroad. Thought met by a fierce fire, they continued to advance, leaped into the ditch, and began to climb the enemy's parapet. A moment afterward a flag was planted on the crest of the parapet and held there by two men, while a party of FIFTEEN or twenty [as I should judge] sprang over into the fort, immediately after which those of the enemy who had been firing over the part of the fort opposite to where the entrance was made disappeared, leading me to the belief that they had all been driven by our men from the works. At this time you observed that the assaulting column was weak, and ordered it to be vigorously supported, and also sent an aide to General Carr, with orders to push Benton forward to create a diversion in favor of General Lawler, or, if necessary, to his immediate support. Immediately afterward information was brought to you that the advance of General Smith's DIVISION had effected a lodgment and forced the enemy to abandon a portion